Will Washington State Get Flavored Vape Juice Again

Despite the lifting of the temporary flavored vape ban on Feb. 3, vapor product shops across the state are cautious to gloat as a legislative battle continues could have a large impact on their businesses.

Last Oct, Governor Jay Inslee and the Washington State Board of Health placed an emergency temporary ban on the auction of flavored vapor products in response to an outbreak of respiratory injuries across the U.S. that were related to vapor products in improver to growing concerns nigh the increased use of vapor products by young people.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that the cause of the respiratory injuries stemmed from vapor products that independent vitamin Eastward acetate, an additive used to dilute the oil in some vapor products, typically used past unverified online sellers.

At the urging of Gov. Inslee, legislation was proposed that would brand the temporary flavor ban permanent, only lawmakers take so far backed downwardly from the proposal, following amendments made on Feb. 10 and March 2, that would allow for the sale of flavored vapor products in 21 and over retail locations.

Originally, Senate Bill 6254 required all vapor product manufacturers to be licensed by the Liquor and Cannabis Lath (LCB) and required manufacturers and distributors to submit a list of production ingredients to the Department of Health (DOH). The bill also permitted the LCB to restrict the sale of vapor products if the DOH had determined the production may be hazardous to human health. Additionally, the pecker banned the auction of vapor products containing vitamin E acetate and limited the auction of flavored vapor products, other than tobacco-flavored products, to retail outlets restricted to individuals 21 years old or older. The bill also would've placed limits on nicotine concentrations in vapor products at two pct every bit well equally limits to the size of refillable bottles and finally placed a 37 percent excise taxation on all flavored vapor products.

While the amendment allows for the sale of flavored vape products in 21-and-older retail locations, its the 37 pct tax and the canteen and tank size limits that take vape shops concerned almost their businesses, especially after some just barely survived the temporary ban that came afterward the implementation on a $0.09 per milliliter revenue enhancement on "vape juice," in October.

Quinn Richards, owner of Cloudy Vapor in Poulsbo, said prior to the legislative amendment. At the fourth dimension Richards believed that SB6254 would bring almost an end to vape shops in Washington state with all the restrictions and limitations.

"Information technology would basically ban all flavors other than tobacco, so there would exist a 10-milliliter rule, where we can only sell 10-milliliter bottles and two-milliliter tanks, which is insane," Richards said, placing a small bottle on the counter. "Usually tanks hold, five, seven to ten milliliters … basically vape shops would exist ending in Washington."

Prior to the $0.09 tax, Richards had closed his shop in Port Townsend, knowing that if he hadn't he would take gone bankrupt. The Poulsbo location barely survived the temporary ban just had record sales when the ban was lifted.

Jacob Johnson, owner of Granite Vapor in Silverdale has been testifying in Olympia along with dozens of other business owners, members of Fume-Free Washington and the Washington Retail Association, which would be affected by the pecker fifty-fifty in its amended form.

"I met with several senators and I retrieve a lot of them experience that they but want more than information to make certain that they create these bills correctly because every bit it seems a lot of them just don't have the correct information or merely aren't knowledgeable, which is completely understandable, considering they're not in our industry," Johnson said.

Johnson as well argues that these efforts will exercise nothing to deter youth from accessing vapor products, more likely it will drive more youth to online and black market products, which takes coin out of Washington Country. He too argues that the bottle and tank size restrictions will create more unnecessary waste.

"None of this benefits us or Washington Country, then yous know nosotros demand to detect a center ground to assistance each other," Johnson said.

Fortunately for Richards and Johnson, substitute bills and amendments were proposed and voted on in the Senate Ways and Ways Commission on March 2.

The two substitute bills were proposed by Senator John Braun (R- Chehalis) and Senators Dave Frockt (D-Seattle) and Manka Dhingra (D-Kirkland).

Sen. Braun proposed striking the entire bill and replacing information technology with four unlike sections. The substitute bill would ban the sale of vapor products with labeling or packaging that would be "attractive" to minors, require retailers to use age verification technology on purchasers, ban the auction of products containing vitamin Eastward acetate and would ban the sale of disposable vapor products. Sen. Braun's proposed substitute failed during the caucus session.

Sen. Frockt and Sen. Dhingra proposed a second substitute pecker that had similar elements to Sen. Braun'due south, such as banning the sale of products containing vitamin E acetate and dispensable vapor products. Some differences were that the beak would add menthol to the list of flavors to be banned from not-21-and-over shops. It would also exempt 21-and-over-stores from nicotine content restrictions and would requite authorisation to the Washington Section of Wellness to ban flavored vape products. This proposed neb passed onto the Senate Rules committee for a 2d hearing along with several proposed amendments.

In that location were eight proposed amendments to the original bill presented on March 2, only three passed.

Sen. Bob Hasegawa (D-Beacon Hill) proposed about one-half of the amendments, i of which was to remove the 37 pct excise revenue enhancement completely, that did non pass, but Sen. Mark. Mullet (D-Snoqualmie) had a like proposal to reduce the excise taxation from 37 percent to 18.v percent, which did laissez passer. Of the taxes collected, 67 percent would become into the Foundation for Public Wellness Fund, with the other 33 pct going towards initiatives to forestall youth smoking and vaping.

Sen. Hasegawa's other subpoena proposals would have removed the limit on container and tank sizes on vapor products, allow 21-and-older vape shops to offer product tastings and requite away products for free (as function of a promotion), of these, just the allowance of 21-and-older vape shops to offer product tastings passed.

The neb, now SSB6254 passed into the Senate Rules Committee for a second reading.

Proposed legislation would limit the maximum amount of vape juice that vape shops to sell to 10mL bottles.

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Source: https://www.kitsapdailynews.com/news/washington-lifts-flavored-vape-ban-but-for-how-long/

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